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Published this month by Fonthill Media, Joe Gleeson's new book examines the often overlooked contribution that Ireland made to Allied aviation in WWI. Along with the famous names, the author tells the stories of many who are often unfairly overlooked.

Irish Aces of the RFC and RAF in the First World War
The Lives Behind the Legends
Joe Gleeson

The definitive history of the RFC and RAF’s Irish aces of the First World War

· Several of the RAF’s highest scoring aces such as Hazzell, Mannock and McElroy were Irish
 Of those who survived the war, several such as Huston and Heron were to play an important role in the inter-war aviation history in Chile and Ireland
 Many of the Irish aces had come through significant military operations with infantry or artillery units: this work looks at the military and aviation careers in their entirety
 Some went on to attain senior rank in the RAF during the Second World War

The Great War had an enormous impact on Ireland. Over 240,000 Irish men and women volunteered to serve with the Allied forces, suffering almost 40,000 casualties in the conflict. The Irish contribution to the first air war remains overlooked, not just in Ireland, but also by military and aviation historians generally. Although just 6,000 Irish served with the Allied flying services at a cost of 500 casualties, their impact was out of all proportion to their numbers. The contribution of the Irish aces of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and Royal Air Force (RAF) to the Allied cause was enormous, just over thirty of whom accounted for 400 enemy aircraft. Irishmen such as Mannock, McElroy and Hazell were among the highest-scoring pilots of the war. Others, such as the artist Robert Gregory – who was mythologised by W. B. Yeats – remain enigmatic. Some were revered by their men, others were controversial figures – reckless with their own lives and those under their command – but many of their stories remain untold. Irish Aces of the RFC and RAF in the First World: The Lives Behind the Legends seeks to restore all those who were written out of Irish history, while also providing for their achievements to be considered in the overall context of the first air war.

Publication: 25 October 2015
Price: £25.00/$40.00
ISBN: 978-1-78155-486-9
Size: 234 x 156 mm
Binding: Hardback
Extent: 264 pages
Illustrations: 23 mono

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